Employing a Business First Approach Circumventing Unnecessary Litigation and Conflict

Appeals in the works after Johnson and Johnson ruling

On behalf of Michael L. Feinstein, P.A. posted in Appeals on Monday, October 7, 2019.

When companies face accusations of wrongdoing, they can often end up in court having to defend themselves. In some cases, the initial ruling may not be favorable. Fortunately, in this type of scenario, companies can often file appeals in efforts to gain a better outcome through additional legal proceedings.

Florida readers may be interested in such a situation involving Johnson and Johnson in another state. According to reports, the company was facing accusations of helping fuel the opioid crisis by overstating the usefulness of opioids as pain relievers. The judge ruled that marketing a lawful product could be considered a public nuisance, and as part of the ruling, the judge ordered the company to pay $572 million, which would go toward handling damage caused by the opioid crisis.

The company believes that this amount is inflated, and other companies settled their cases for much lower amounts. The company has appealed that decision. It was noted that the state's attorney general is reviewing the appeal. The report also stated that the outcomes of this case could have significant effects on similar cases in other states.

It can be immensely difficult for companies to have to defend against accusations, but when the outcomes seem unreasonable, appeals can often help. If Florida company owners have faced rulings against them, they may want to explore their options for working toward better outcomes. Discussing continued legal action after initial rulings with experienced attorneys could help parties determine whether moving forward with an appeal could be useful.

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